What’s at stake in Taiwan’s elections? China says it could be a choice between peace and war

By DIDI TANG and IAN MADER
Associated Press

Taiwan is holding a weekend presidential election that neighboring China has warned could mean the difference between peace and war. China claims Taiwan as its territory even though the island off its coast has governed itself for nearly three-quarters of a century. Saturday’s election is believed to be a close race between the candidate of the incumbent party that Beijing describes as separatist and the candidate of the main opposition party. Any armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait would disrupt the global economy and could draw in the United States. Voters also will be choosing members of the legislature. Campaigning has focused largely on bread-and-butter issues like housing costs and the island’s sluggish economy.